Chapter 97
Chapter 97
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 97
Chapter Title: The Guests Are Leaving
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Jin Sahong gazed at the person sitting before him with a look of slight displeasure.
He had come to the Golden Jade Villa to meet Byeok Taesan, but not long after his arrival, another guest had entered.
The problem was that the guest was Jeok Gyeolmyeong of the Black Alliance.
Jeok Gyeolmyeong was the leader of one of the Black Alliance's warrior brigades. In many ways, he was a rival to Jin Sahong.
Thus, this situation of waiting for Byeok Taesan alongside Jeok Gyeolmyeong was not a welcome one.
The same was true for Jeok Gyeolmyeong.
He had frowned the moment he entered the reception room and hadn't smoothed his brow since.
As they waited for a short while, the reception room door opened again.
Thinking Byeok Taesan had finally arrived, he looked up to see two familiar figures enter together.
It was Namgung Jun and Jegal Gwan.
So, even the men who had entered Wuhan from the Namgung and Jegal families were here.
The Namgung and Jegal families, in fact, had a toe dipped in the Martial Alliance.
Talented individuals from each family were active within the Martial Alliance.
However, to say they belonged to the Martial Alliance would not be entirely accurate.
Unlike other martial families, the Namgung and Jegal families had each built up enough power to dominate an entire region on their own.
While they would inevitably fall short in a direct comparison with the Martial Alliance or the Black Alliance, their power still surpassed that of the Hubei Martial Alliance.
In the martial world, there were five such families whose individual strength was great enough to surpass that of a large coalition.
Commonly known as the Five Great Families, the Namgung and Jegal families were the most powerful among them.
In truth, the other three were quite lacking in comparison.
In any case, Namgung Jun and Jegal Gwan, who had entered the reception room, greeted the two men with a glint in their eyes.
"So we finally meet. It's a pleasure."
"Our arrival in Wuhan was a bit delayed, and we've been so busy with one thing or another that we haven't had a chance to pay you a visit."
Jin Sahong and Jeok Gyeolmyeong returned the greeting.
"On the contrary, I should have been the one to act first upon hearing you two had entered Wuhan. I'm embarrassed that I couldn't. As you know, there was a bit of an incident…"
"I, too, was planning to pay my respects soon. I'm delighted to meet you here like this."
Namgung Jun and Jegal Gwan gave a slight bow and took their seats.
There was little for them to say to one another.
A chilly silence descended upon the reception room.
But no one tried to break it.
Each of them was preoccupied, thinking about what they should say to Byeok Taesan when they met him today.
Before coming here—no, back when they were first considering their advance into Wuhan—they had already investigated Byeok Taesan quite extensively.
The catalyst had been the Hubei Martial Alliance's advance into Wuhan, but it was easy to discover, even before the investigation began, that Byeok Taesan was the reason for it.
And the more they investigated, the more their admiration, curiosity, and intrigue regarding Byeok Taesan grew.
"By the way… it feels like we've been waiting for a very long time…"
Jeok Gyeolmyeong muttered with a slight frown.
Jin Sahong had been waiting longer than him, but as expected of someone from the Black Alliance, his patience was far shorter.
Of course, the others were just as displeased with the current situation.
"It's an ordeal to just sit here in silence, not knowing when he'll arrive."
Jeok Gyeolmyeong said, glancing around at the other three men.
It was Jegal Gwan who responded to his words.
"Is there something you wish to say?"
"When you two came in earlier, I noticed the maid who guided you was quite a beauty."
Jegal Gwan and Namgung Jun cursed inwardly. *Just what you'd expect from the Black Alliance, to say something so crass.*
But he wasn't wrong. The maid who had guided them was indeed stunning.
When the two men nodded lightly, Jeok Gyeolmyeong grinned and continued.
"The maid who guided me was absolutely breathtaking as well. Honestly, she was more beautiful than any woman I've ever seen. Didn't you two think so?"
Jin Sahong scowled at Jeok Gyeolmyeong's blunt words, but Jegal Gwan responded without batting an eye.
"I've heard the rumors that Young Master Byeok Taesan's maids are famously beautiful. Moreover, I hear there aren't just one or two, but ten of them."
Jeok Gyeolmyeong's eyes widened.
"Ten? Are you saying all ten of them are such beauties?"
"So I've heard. Of course, they are just rumors, so I don't know what they're like in reality."
Jeok Gyeolmyeong gave Jegal Gwan a suggestive look.
"You seem to know quite a lot, Great Warrior Jegal. Anyway… if there are ten of them, don't you think we could acquire one or two if we play our cards right? What do you think?"
Jeok Gyeolmyeong's final question was directed at the others. He glanced around at everyone in the room as he asked.
When no one answered, Jeok Gyeolmyeong grinned.
"If everyone keeps hiding their true feelings like this… we can't have a proper conversation. Shall I be honest first? The aptitude of the girl who guided me was extraordinary."
At the word "aptitude," the eyes of the other three men flashed for a moment.
Then, noticing each other's reactions, they all wore surprised expressions.
"Don't tell me… all of you felt the same?"
As far as Jeok Gyeolmyeong knew, the maids who had guided each of them here were all different.
Of course, since Namgung Jun and Jegal Gwan had arrived together, they were guided by a single maid.
In any case, for a total of three maids to all possess such outstanding aptitude was highly unusual.
And frankly, Jeok Gyeolmyeong was surprised.
It was no easy task to assess a person's aptitude or constitution just by looking at them.
A highly skilled physician might be able to tell.
But among martial artists, there were few such people. This wasn't something one excelled at simply by being skilled in martial arts or having vast experience.
Jeok Gyeolmyeong took considerable pride in this area. He was born with a special talent for assessing someone's aptitude just by looking at them.
But from the current atmosphere, it seemed the other three men gathered here were similar to him.
Four people with such a rare talent were gathered in one place. It was only natural to be surprised.
The men here had all established themselves to some degree within their respective organizations or families.
They had reached a certain age and secured their positions, so they were beginning to entertain the thought of raising disciples.
And in the midst of that, they had encountered someone with outstanding aptitude.
"Her age is a bit of a concern, though…"
At Jin Sahong's mumble, Jeok Gyeolmyeong quickly interjected.
"Then you can back out. I don't mind either way."
"When did I say I was backing out? I was just making an observation."
In truth, the maids who guided them possessed an aptitude so remarkable that their age was not a concern.
Of course, a more accurate assessment would require teaching and testing them directly, but what they had seen in that brief moment was honestly enough.
It wasn't just their aptitude; their constitutions also seemed extraordinary.
The reason they disregarded age was because of the constitutions they had perceived.
"In any case, I hope this Byeok Taesan isn't a close-minded person."
Jegal Gwan said with a slightly worried expression.
"Frankly, it's as clear as day that following us would be a much better opportunity for those girls. If he tries to prevent that out of stubbornness… it would be rather disappointing."
Everyone nodded at his words.
Of course, not all four men here had purely innocent intentions.
No, to be precise, all four had a touch of impure thoughts mixed in.
The women were just that beautiful, after all.
Just as they were discussing the maids who had guided them, Byeok Taesan arrived.
The door opened slowly, and as Byeok Taesan entered the reception room accompanied by Hwaok, the gazes of the four men turned to him in unison.
Their eyes widened slightly.
*There's another one?*
Their gazes were fixed entirely on Hwaok.
Hwaok's beauty had blossomed fully after her night with Byeok Taesan.
The degree of her transformation was much greater compared to the others.
Half of it was due to her age, and the other half was due to the Lunar Shadow Demonic Arts she had recently been practicing.
Hwaok was originally the branch chief of the Underworld Sect in Yichang.
Naturally, she was not young. She was around the same age as the Master of the Hundred Flowers Pavilion.
But after her night with Byeok Taesan, she began to grow younger.
Now, one could believe she was the same age as the other maids.
And the Lunar Shadow Demonic Arts was a demonic art practiced at night under the moonlight.
It involved taking in moonlight and absorbing its power, which had a significant effect on one's appearance.
In any case, when Hwaok entered the room, it felt as if the surroundings had brightened, and no one could tear their eyes away.
Seeing this, Byeok Taesan let out a small smirk.
"I thought you came to see me… but it seems that's not the case."
At his words, the four men snapped back to their senses.
A hint of embarrassment flickered in their eyes before vanishing.
All of them were well past forty. To lose their composure over mere beauty and aptitude was utterly shameful.
The first to regain his senses was Jegal Gwan.
He shot to his feet and respectfully cupped his fist toward Byeok Taesan.
"I am Jegal Gwan. It is a pleasure to meet you."
Byeok Taesan's eyes showed a flicker of interest at Jegal Gwan's demeanor before he returned the salute.
"I am Byeok Taesan."
Only then did the other three men offer their salutes, which Byeok Taesan accepted with a light gesture.
The five men, including Byeok Taesan, sat around the large, round table.
And Hwaok stood quietly behind Byeok Taesan, her eyes sparkling.
The four men's gazes repeatedly landed on Hwaok before drifting away.
Byeok Taesan silently watched their behavior.
The first to speak was, once again, Jegal Gwan.
"The Jegal family plans to establish a presence in Wuhan soon."
When Byeok Taesan looked at him, Jegal Gwan continued.
"We have yet to establish a proper foundation, but we hope to resolve that through a deal with the Golden Jade Trading Company. Of course, someone else is handling those proceedings. I came here today because I wish to maintain a good relationship with you, Young Master Byeok."
Jegal Gwan's attitude was exceedingly polite.
He didn't try to pull rank with his age or status, nor did he speak carelessly.
And his eyes were filled with sincerity.
Starting with Jegal Gwan, the others said similar things.
That they intended to use the Golden Jade Trading Company to establish themselves in Wuhan, and that they wanted to maintain a good relationship with Byeok Taesan.
After breaking the ice, the conversation drifted to small talk, the current state of the martial world, and the recent events in Wuhan.
Byeok Taesan was mostly in the position of a listener. To the four men, he seemed excessively sparing with his words.
They had to make every effort to draw words out of him. But no matter how hard they tried, he would only offer brief replies, making it difficult to sustain a smooth conversation.
Watching this from behind, Hwaok broke out in a cold sweat.
She knew what kind of person Byeok Taesan was, but the four men sitting before him now were truly formidable figures.
Yet, the current atmosphere somehow felt as if those four were desperately trying to win Byeok Taesan's favor.
If this atmosphere continued, their moods would surely sour.
Still, time was a remedy. As the conversation continued, however stilted, the atmosphere itself gradually softened.
When they reached a point where they could even exchange jokes amongst themselves, Jeok Gyeolmyeong, who had been waiting for an opportunity, cautiously brought up a topic.
"I've heard… that your maids are quite famous, Young Master Byeok. Is that true?"
Byeok Taesan didn't answer one way or another, simply looking at Jeok Gyeolmyeong.
Jeok Gyeolmyeong discreetly gauged Byeok Taesan's mood. It didn't seem bad, so he continued.
"If it's not too much trouble, would you be willing to let us see your maids? There is something important I wish to confirm."
After saying that, Jeok Gyeolmyeong drew the other three men into it.
"I'm not the only one who thinks this. The other gentlemen here all feel the same. Perhaps… this could be a very important opportunity for your maids."
Byeok Taesan stared silently at Jeok Gyeolmyeong.
He was merely looking calmly, yet strangely, the atmosphere grew heavy.
He wasn't scowling or glaring, just looking, but everyone felt the air press down on their backs like a heavy weight.
Byeok Taesan slowly turned his head to look at Hwaok.
"The guests are leaving. Show them out."
With those words, Byeok Taesan rose from his seat and left the reception room.
It was an incredibly rude act, but no one in the room could open their mouths.
They couldn't say a single word.
And seeing this, Hwaok's face turned pale.
*Click.*
As Byeok Taesan left and the door closed, everyone's shoulders finally slumped.
And to their surprise, they realized they had been holding their breath the entire time.
"Hooooo."
They all let out a collective breath.
As masters, they regained their composure in an instant. But their minds did not become as calm as their breathing.
Hwaok's voice seeped into their ears.
"I will show you the way out."
Somehow, Hwaok had already composed her expression and demeanor, having decided what to do.
At Hwaok's polite words, they all looked at her with reluctant expressions.
After a moment's hesitation, they finally nodded and rose from their seats.
Today wasn't the only day.
* * *
Jin Sahong, Jeok Gyeolmyeong, Namgung Jun, and Jegal Gwan left the Golden Jade Villa and walked side by side for some time.
They could have parted ways at the main gate, but no one did.
They simply walked in silence.
The first to speak, just like before, was Jegal Gwan.
"What in the world was that?"
Everyone shook their heads.
"It definitely wasn't that we were overwhelmed by his presence…"
If that were the case, they would have known.
"It doesn't seem like Young Master Byeok is a great master…"
That much was certain.
They had been able to grasp Byeok Taesan's level quite clearly. A single glance was enough.
Byeok Taesan was certainly outstanding among his peers.
They had confirmed that the information and rumors they'd gathered were not wrong.
But that was all.
Martial artists of that level were a dime a dozen in the Martial Alliance or the Black Alliance.
In fact, in the warrior brigades they led, they could pick out more than ten martial artists of that caliber.
"Perhaps there was a formation laid out in there?"
At Jin Sahong's plausible suggestion, Jegal Gwan shook his head.
"From what I could see, there was none."
Coming from none other than a member of the Jegal family, it must be true.
Then what could it have been?
"Perhaps… a formidable master was hiding there?"
Everyone tilted their heads at Jegal Gwan's suggestion.
The possibility wasn't entirely zero.
"By the way… we failed to say anything we needed to and just spouted a bunch of nonsense."
At Jegal Gwan's self-deprecating mumble, everyone clamped their mouths shut.
And even then, it hadn't occurred to them that Byeok Taesan had been rude.
That thought would only cross their minds long after they had returned to their residences.
< The Guests Are Leaving > End